What's your maintainance routine to keep your babies finish lookin' fine?

[Jazzpunk]

For the first time in my life, I own two amazing looking guitars. I never used to worry about the vanity aspect of upkeep but these babies are worth it!

 

So what's your ritual for keeping your Heritage finishes lookin' fine? Anything special I need to know? Secret polishing spray? Magic cloth?

[Steiner]

I've been using the Fender/Meguiar's polish for a couple years. No complaints!

 

Back in the day I used Tres Amigos lemon & carnauba wax by golly.

[Jazzpunk]

I've been using the Fender/Meguiar's polish for a couple years. No complaints!

 

Back in the day I used Tres Amigos lemon & carnauba wax by golly.

 

Thanks, Steiner. How often should one use a polishing spray?

[Steiner]

Thanks, Steiner. How often should one use a polishing spray?

 

 

I do a detail job every time I change strings. When playing, I wear long sleeves to avoid perspiration on the finish and wipe down the ax after use; that's me. I don't think one can over polish with the spray and I believe they recommend after every time playing. I try to avoid needing a cleaner.

 

JP - that's one hellofa mighty fine looking 575! I have a blonde one I enjoy often; like you said, they fit Just Right.

 

Albeit redundant, Enjoy!

[DC Ron]

Great tip about long sleeves. On my first heritage the finish on the upper bout where my right forearm touched it dulled after less than a year. When you have to wear short sleeves, just a quick wipe with Fender mist and wipe or equal will do.

[backline]

Yeah my sweat salts are death to lacquer finishes on the upper bouts. I've hazed a few.

I noticed years ago that FingerEase fretboard spray will offer some protection for a while, but I have no idea if there are consequences to that I don't know about. So far so good. I've been doing it few years over several guitars.

 

I usually only use a guitar polishing cloth to wipe down the strings and guitar after playing. Microfibre ones are better even.

 

Once every couple of years or so I may use some guitar polish. My Tres Amigos got used up ages ago.

I don't generally like the feel of fretboard oils, etc. Bit of FingerEase if I detect schmutz.

[chico]

Yeah my sweat salts are death to lacquer finishes on the upper bouts. I've hazed a few.

I noticed years ago that FingerEase fretboard spray will offer some protection for a while, but I have no idea if there are consequences to that I don't know about. So far so good. I've been doing it few years over several guitars.

 

I usually only use a guitar polishing cloth to wipe down the strings and guitar after playing. Microfibre ones are better even.

 

Once every couple of years or so I may use some guitar polish. My Tres Amigos got used up ages ago.

I don't generally like the feel of fretboard oils, etc. Bit of FingerEase if I detect schmutz.

 

 

I'm with backline on the FingerEase, I love that stuff as to the maintenence of strings. As to routine body upkeep and cleaning, after playing at a jam or over a few days, I use a flannel cloth cut w/pinking shears to keep the edges from fraying and spray it with a liquid cleaner called "powerchord" (yeah, corny I know, but the stuff works great to remove the hand/sweat gunk on the body) which can be found at your local guitar store, gently rubbing down and cleaning the gunk. Lastly i wipe off the pickup covers on those silver HRWs..gotta keep em shiny!

[SouthpawGuy]

Lately I've been using carnauba wax on mine. Just apply, leave for 5 to 10 minutes and wipe off.

 

I apply by hand and use a microfibre polishing cloth to remove. I never use the same cloth for the strings, any dirt or grit would act as grinding paste on the finish. The wax is also used on chrome, nickel or gold hardware and pickup covers etc , again I use a different cloth so as not to transfer any particles to the finish. The residues from my hands seems to very quickly discolour chrome pickup covers, and if I don't put an application of wax on the covers they rapidly become very dull.

I only polish the guitar every few months, the pickup covers in particular every few weeks.

 

 

[Jazzpunk]

Great tips guys, thanks. It's too hot in my apartment to wear long sleeves every time I practice so I'll get some cleaner asap!

[Jazzpunk]

JP - that's one hellofa mighty fine looking 575! I have a blonde one I enjoy often; like you said, they fit Just Right.

 

Albeit redundant, Enjoy!

 

Thanks! I really appreciate everyone sharing my enthusiasm for the new addition. Pulled her out of the case when I woke up today and still can't believe she's mine!

[brentrocks]

during a string change i will wipe them down w/ Martin guitar polish....if the fretboard looks dry, i will lemon oil it

[Thundersteel]

I just use spit & polish!

 

Or is it sh!t & shine-ola?

[gopeteygo]

After clouding up a finish on an SG I started wearing a forearm band that my wife picked up at WalMart. That way I don't have to wear long sleeves. I wipe mine down with a flannel cloth after each use, especially the neck and strings (helps the strings last longer) and do a detail at string change.

[shook494]

I guess I need to clean my guitars more......

[JeffB]

I guess I need to clean my guitars more......

+1 If I could just stop playing them long enough to clean them I would.

[Jazzpunk]

After clouding up a finish on an SG I started wearing a forearm band that my wife picked up at WalMart. That way I don't have to wear long sleeves.

 

That's a great idea!

[Hfan]

I'm no expert on this subject, but I've read on several Internet sites that for the fretboard only 100% lemon oil should be used. The trick is finding it. Any lemon oil I've found so far locally is not 100% (typically there is some sort of petrolum type additivve). I was going to search the web for a source unless anyone has one they'd care to share. I've also read that if there is any built up gunk on the fretboard it can be cleaned with steel wool- grade 00..available at the home depot etc.

[skydog52]

I use Sadowsky everyday polish. On fretboard I just starting

using Hydrate fretboard conditioner by Planet Waves and I like

it

[big bob]

I don't play mine, they just sit in the cases, I don't even look at them. Don"t look at my guitars, not even photos..

Go away and do not speek of my guitars ever...

[Paul P]

I'm no expert on this subject, but I've read on several Internet sites that for the fretboard only 100% lemon oil should be used. The trick is finding it. Any lemon oil I've found so far locally is not 100% (typically there is some sort of petrolum type additivve). I was going to search the web for a source unless anyone has one they'd care to share. I've also read that if there is any built up gunk on the fretboard it can be cleaned with steel wool- grade 00..available at the home depot etc.

As far as I know there never is any lemon in lemon oil, at least the kind used for wood.

Here's a quote from wikipedia, for whatever that's worth :

 

"Wood treatment - the traditional lemon oil used on the unsealed rosewood fingerboards

of guitars and other stringed instruments is not made from lemons. It's a different product

altogether, made from mineral oil and a solvent, usually naphtha, and got its name from its

color and tart smell, and should not be confused with the corrosive oil of lemons."

 

Personally, I've always used this nice "teak oil" that I've had lying around to use on our

Danish style teak diningroom table. It's a very thin solvent/oil mixture with a bit of a

dark brown tint to it. I have no idea what's in it but it works great.

 

Steel wool can be a bit of a problem around the magnets in the pickups.

[GuitArtMan]

Personally I'm from the less is more side of the universe. I don't want rub/wipe my guitars any more than necessary for fear of scrathcing and just plain rubbing through the finish. I gently wipe them down with a soft cloth after use. If I see smudge, my first choice is just a little spit or water. If that doesn't do it, then I move up to the cleaners/polishes. As far as polishes are concerned, I don't want to keep adding stuff to my guitars fiish and build up a layer of gunk on top of the finish. Again, less is more in my book and I only use polishes when the guitar really needs it - which is very rare imho. My favorite so far is the Viruosso polish, though the Fender Meguiares poslih is excellent as well. The stuff StewMac sells (whatever the fu@# they call it) is absolute shit imho and should be taken off the market.

 

As for fingerboard treatments, again less is more. You don't want to soak the fingerboard with anything. I've tried just about everything out there and my persoanly favorite is the one I've used since the '70s - Linseed oil. I just put a very small amount on a cloth, rub it on the fingerboard, let set for minute or two, and then remove the excess with a clean cloth. Nothing seems to give my fingerboards the warm glow that linseed oil does and it also seems to last longer than many others.

[zydecosoultrain]

Kyser Dr Stringfellow lemon oil for the fretboard and an automotive metal polish called "Autosol" for the frets. The polish comes in paste form in a tube and was recommended by my guitar teacher.

Z

[Hfan]

The stuff StewMac sells (whatever the fu@# they call it) is absolute shit imho and should be taken off the market.

 

 

Thanks for the heads up on the Stewart McDonald polish/cleaner (Preservation Polish). I ordered some recently but haven't used it yet, I guess I won't now.

[GuitArtMan]

Thanks for the heads up on the Stewart McDonald polish/cleaner (Preservation Polish). I ordered some recently but haven't used it yet, I guess I won't now.

There have been a number of people over at TGP that have voiced the same opinion. They stuff leaves a hazy residue that is next to impossible to get off and it smells like I should be cleaning my drains with it, not polishing guitars. I tried it once and through the bottle out. Do yourself a favor and get the Virtuosso Cleaner/Polish. It's the best I've tried.

[wingnut1]

I thought to increase the value of your guitars you were supposed to make sure that you got corrosive sweat on all the hardware and you need to ding the edges so that the finish starts to chip off. It will also help if you get a massive belt buckle that has a really rough surface to wear while you play. You can help accelerate the process by putting your guitar in the freezer overnight and then put it into a really hot room this will give the guitars finish a really nice check pattern. Bottom line don't be to careful with your babies.